Bill to overhaul high school requirements clears hurdle

Texas high school students are a step closer to needing to take fewer standardized tests to graduate.

After hours of testimony from parents, educators and business leaders Tuesday, the Senate Education Committee voted to send House Bill 5 — an omnibus bill that would overhaul the state's graduation and testing requirements — to the full Senate.

The bill has received broad support for dialing back the requirements of the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness, or STAAR test. The House passed it by a 145-2 vote last month.

But critics have slammed provisions that would decrease the number of math and science courses required for a high school diploma as a retreat from accountability and rigor.

The bill, authored by Rep Jimmie Don Aycock, R-Killeen, the House education chair, would cut the number of STAAR end-of-course tests needed to graduate from 15 to five and abolish a provision that counts such tests toward a student's class grades.

The committee voted 7-2 to move the bill to the Senate after making changes to it, including doing away with a provision that would rate schools using an A through F grading system.

Drawing the most debate Tuesday was the bill's restructuring of high school diploma requirements to eliminate the state's “4X4” graduation plan, under which high school students must take four years of math, science, social studies and English.

The panel inserted language that would do away with the current “minimum,” “recommended” and “distinguished” diploma plans and allow students to choose career and vocational tracks in the humanities, business and industry, or STEM — science, technology, engineering and math.

The bill still requires students to take 16 hours in core credit courses like math, science, social studies and English, but gives them more flexibility to choose areas to focus on, the Senate panel's chairman, Dan Patrick, R-Houston, said.

Some have lauded the proposed changes but others worry that the graduation flexibility would encourage struggling students to not take more difficult courses.

Patrick said he will need to assuage some lawmakers' concerns to get the 21 votes needed for Senate consideration.

“We are not — neither Chairman Aycock or myself — we're not stepping back in rigor or accountability,” he said.